Wringers



1955 D. F. FAIRGRIEVE 2,726,530

WRINGERS Filed NOV. 13, 1951 3 Sheecs-Sheet l II: 2. INVENTOR DONALD F,FAIRG-RIEVE HTTK Dec. 13, 1955 Filed Nov. 13, 1951 I9 I Ummmmmm I &4: I

D. F. FAlRGRlEVE WRINGERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ZBI INVENTUR DONALD F.FAlR'G-RIEVE Dec. 13, 1955 Filed Nov.

D. F. FAIRGRIEVE 2,726,530

WRINGERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NV ENTOR DONALD F. FA! RG'RIEVE UnitedStatesPatent O" WRINGERS Donald F. Fairgrieve, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,assignor to Fairgrieve & Son, Limited, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaApplication November 13, 1951, Serial No. 256,049

11 Claims. (Cl. 68-263) This invention relates to improvements inwringers of the type comprising a base having side stiles extendingupwardly therefrom, wringing rolls mounted in the side stiles, a topbar, means carried by the top bar exerting pressure on the rolls and atoggle for operating the top bar to and releasing the top bar frompressure-exerting position, together with a means for locking the togglewith the top bar in pressure-exerting position, and safety means forreleasing the toggle and hence pressure on the rolls, and the principalobject of the invention is to improve and simplify the means foreffecting toggle re lease and its subsequent resetting.

A further object is to provide a wringer of improved and simplifieddesign and appearance which wringer will be easier and safer to operatethan present wringers.

The principal feature of the invention resides in locking the toggle onthe release side of an over-centre position by a latch member, andoperating the latch member to release the toggle, which will then openunder pressure on the rolls, by a rocker member pivoted adjacent itscentre and extending transversely of the latch to engage same onopposite sides of the rocker pivot to operate the latch to release foreither direction of rocker rotation, whereby safety releases arranged onopposite sides of the wringer and engaging the rocker member can be eachoperated either up or down to rock the rocker member in either directionat will, facilitating release and thus greatly increasing the safety ofoperation with an extremely simple and inexpensive mechanism.

Another feature resides in having the release bars engage the ends ofthe rocker member in a manner to multiply release motion, increasing thesensitivity of release.

A further important feature resides in forming the latching connectionbetween the-toggle mechanism and the latch member in a manner such thatthere will be no looking or unlocking component acting on the latch norany extraneous bending forces due to the pressure exerted on the toggleby the rolls forcing against the top bar.

Still a further feature resides in arranging the range of latch movementbetween locking and release position to swing an equal distance eitherside of the horizontal whereby maximum latch movement is effected forminimum rocker movement and minimum binding between the latch and rockersurfaces.

Another feature resides in providing a simple link control and stoparrangement to control and limit upward movement of the top bar-underwringer release.

Again another feature resides in the novel construction of the releasebars from sheet metal to enhance the appearance and decrease the cost ofthe wringer.

Again a further feature resides in forming the lever of the togglemechanism of a corrugated design for improved appearance and increasedstrength and safety in handling when wet.

These and other objects will become apparent from the 2,726,530 PatentedDec. 13, 1955 2 following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a wringerembodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the rolls omitted for the-sake ofclarity showing the toggle held in pressure-applying position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the side stile at the end ofthe wringer opposite the toggle.

Figure 4 is a part elevational part vertical sectional detail of therelease end of the wringer.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the side stile carrying the togglesetting and releasing mechanism showing the parts in the set positionready for latching the toggle which is shown raised with the leverbroken away.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the toggle latchingmechanism operated to a release position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the mechanismoperated to an alternative release position.

Figure 8 is a part side elevational part vertical sectional detail on anenlarged scale of the toggle latch and its pivotal mounting.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal mid-vertical sectional detail through thewringer with the top bar broken away.

With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 9, the wringer comprises the usualside stiles 1 and 2 mounted on a suitable base 3 and retaining rolls 4journalled in bearing blocks 5 sliding in suitable guides 6, Figure 9.

Applying pressure to the rolls is the usual spring 7 seated on the upperof the bearing blocks 5 and adjusted by the screw 8 operating, throughthe threaded boss 9 carried by a top bar 16. The top bar is detachablyconnected to one side stile by means of a lip 11 turned out from theside stile engaging a shoulder 12 formed by punching the metal of theend of the top bar.

Securing the opposite end of the top bar to its adjoining side stile isa toggle mechanism which permits the top bar to be drawn down to apressure-applying or set position and when released permits the top barto swing upwardly, releasing pressure on the rolls. This togglecomprises a lever 13 pivoted to the end of the top bar, and a link 14pivoted to the side stile at 15 and to the lever intermediate itslength, by means of a pivot pin 16.

With the top bar and toggle in set position the lever 13 and link 14 areon the release side of an over-centre or aligned position, that is, thepivot pin 16 lies outwardly of a line joining the link pivot 15 and-thepivotal connection 17 between the lever and top bar.

The lever 13 is of channel form and its end surface is corrugated as at18 to increase its strength and prevent a wet and soapy hand fromslipping on the lever. A spring 19 engaging between the link 14 andlever 13 serves to urge the toggle to release position as shown inFigure 4.

Mounted on the side stile 2 is a latch hook 2%) formed as a channelformed with a hooked outer end to engage the pivot pin 16. In latchedposition, as shown in Figure 2, the link pivot 15, pivot pin 16 andlatch pivot 21 define a right angle so that the releasing force 'on thetoggle under spring and roll pressure is in a direction longitudinallyor axially of the latch, simplifying the latch design and eliminatingextraneous bending stresses, while at the same time eliminating anylooking or unlocking component working on the latch. I

Additionally, the surface 22 of the hook portion of the latch engagingpivot pin 16 is struck as a curve having a centre on the latch pivot 21,so that to release the latch from toggle-locking position of Figure 2 aforce sufl'icient only to overcome the friction-between surface 22 andpin 16 need be exerted. Once the latch nd pin 16 are eng ged thereleasin fierc o h toggle will serve to maintain engagement in theabsence of any locking or unlocking component.

However, in order to position the latch to engage the pivot pin aU-bracket 23 transmits the pressure of a spring 24 connected between anabutment 25 and the bracket to urge the latch upwardly. It will beappreciated that this spring serves no function in the holding of thetoggle and latch in latched or set position.

Extending across the end face of the side stile 2 is a rocker member 26pivoted intermediate of its length on a pivot pin 27. This rocker memberis of channel form and is arranged to engage the sides of the channel ofthe latch 20 on opposite sides of its pivot 27 with the latch in thelocked position.

Referring to Figure 8, the latch in locked position with the rockermember 26 horizontal is at an angle a above the horizontal, while whenmoved to a release position it forms an angle a below the horizontal.With this movement of the latch hook an equal distance either side ofthe horizontal maximum latch movement for a given rocker movement isobtained. This arrangement also provides for a minimum relative motionbetween the edges 20' of the latch hook channel and the contacting edge26 of the rocker member as the rocker member is rocked to effect latchrelease since these edges 20 and 26 are maintained close to a 90relation throughout release movement, thereby reducing the pressurerequired to release the wringer.

The means for elfecting rocking of member 26 comprise the release bars28 pivoted on lugs 29 carried by the side stiles and formed with crankends 30 engaging in slots 31 in the ends of the rocker member, as shownin Figures 5 and 7.

The bars 28 are formed of sheet metal bent into U or channel shape, asshown particularly in Figure 4, giving an improved appearance from thestandard round rods and decreasing the cost.

The cranks 30 are secured within the ends of the channels 28 and presentcircular portions extending into the slots 31.

The operation of the rocker 26 to release the latch 20 will beunderstood with reference to Figures 5 to 8. With the latch in the upperposition, as shown in Figure 8, and the rocker member 26 horizontal theportions 32 of the release bar cranks are also horizontal and therelease bars 28 are both inclined at the same angle.

In Figure 6 the left-hand release bar has been operated downwardly oralternatively, the right-hand release bar has been operated upwardly.The result is the same in that the right-hand end of the rocker member26 is depressed and this portion engaging the latch 20 depresses same toa toggle releasing position.

Figure 7 shows the same result obtained with the lefthand release barswung upwardly or alternatively, the right-hand release bar swungdownwardly. In this instance the left-hand end of rocker member 26engages the latch 20 to effect its depression. Thus either release barmay be operated either up or down to effect toggle release and once thelatch has been forced downwardly from position engaging the pivot pin 16the toggle is free to open and release under pressure from the rolls andalso under pressure from the spring 19, although this is very secondaryserving merely to hold the pivot pin 16 against the surface 22 of thelatch to hold the. toggle in set position in the absence of pressure onthe rolls.

When wringing is being carried out; water expressed by the rolls 4passes through a central hole 33 in the base 3 to a drain pan 34.

To control the motion of the. top bar 10 under sudden release throughthe operator moving the. release bars 28 a pair of links 43 and 44. areprovided pivoted respectively to the top bar and to the side stile 1.The pivot connection 45 between the links is spacedfrom the. lower endof link 43, and link 44 carries a laterally extending stop 4. 46, Figure3, with which the lower end of link 43 engages to prevent swinging ofthe links beyond the position of Figure 3. This arrangement provides aneffective stop preventing the wild swinging of the top bar under releaseand also maintains the top bar in a position from which it can beconveniently reset.

In applying pressure through the spring 7 the screw 8 is formed with ahead 47, Figure 1, which is formed with indentations 48 to receive themiddle finger of the operators hand while the head or knob is formedwith a smooth exterior 49 contoured to fit the shape of the thumb toenable rotation to be effected with facility and without danger of thehand slipping off the knob.

The clothes guides 50 leading the clothes to the nip of the rolls aresuitably mounted from the base 3 and are provided with the rolled ends51 which provide an attractive appearance and an effective guide tomaintain the clothes therebetween.

The simplicity of the design and particularly the safety afforded byenabling the operator to release the toggle by striking the release barseither up or down at will, will be apparent. Further, the fact that thetoggle when unlatched is free to swing to a pressure-releasing positionunder pressure of the rolls ensures pressure release upon operation ofthe latch.

Further, the particular relation of the latch and pivots of the toggleand formation of the latch-engaging toggle surface 22 and the relationof the rocker member to the latch as well as the arrangement of therelease bars to multiply release motion through the rocker member to thelatch provides for extremely easy release.

Variations in modifications in the actual structural details may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a wringer, a base having side stiles extending upwardly therefrom,rolls mounted in the side stiles, a top bar, means carried by the topbar exerting pressure on the rolls, and an over center toggle foroperating the top to, and releasing the top from, pressure-exertingposition comprising a lever pivoted to said top bar and a link pivotedto one of said stiles and to said lever, the combination with the base,side stiles, rolls, top bar, pressure-exerting means and toggle, of apivotal channel-shaped latch presenting spaced walls and a hook endadapted to engage said toggle at the point of pivotal connection of saidlink and lever with said toggle on the release side of an overcentreposition and urged to release said top bar under pressure from saidrolls, a pivotal normally horizontal latch-releasing member engageablewith said latch upon motion in either of two directions, and releasemeans for operating said latch-releasing member in either of said twodirections, said release means comprising at least one release barpivoted to said side stiles and having a portion lying in a plane and aportion formed with a cranked end bent out of said plane and looselyengaging said latchreleasing member, the cranked end of said releasedbar being inclined to said plane to incline said release bar upwardly atan acutev angle to the side stiles with said cranked end substantiallyhorizontal, said cranked end engaging said normally horizontallatch-releasing member and imparting pivotal motion to saidlatch=releasing member under a force pushing said release bar towards orpulling it away from said side stiles to swing said cranked end out ofits horizontal position.

2. A device. as claimed in claim 1 in which said latchreleasing memberis a horizontally extending member mounted. to swing in a vertical planeabout a horizontal pivot and the cranked end of said release bar engagesin a slot in said latch-releasing member.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the cranked end of saidrelease bar is of circular cross section.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said latch comprises a hookpivoted at one end and engaging said toggle at the hooked end and saidlatch-releasing member engages said hook at a point adjacent its pivotand remote from the hooked end.

5. In a wringer, a base having side stiles extending upwardly therefrom,rolls mounted in the side stiles, a longitudinal top bar, means carriedby the top bar exerting pressure on the rolls and a toggle for operatingthe top bar to and releasing the top bar from pressure exerting positioncomprising, a lever pivoted to one end of said top bar and a linkpivoted to the adjacent side stile and to the lever intermediate itslength by a pin extending transversely of the lever and link, said leverand link when swung to pressure applying position being urged to a topbar releasing position by said means carried by the top bar exertingpressure on the rolls; the combination with the base, side stiles,rolls, top bar, pressure means and toggle, of a latch member pivoted to,on an axis transversely of, and extending outwardly from, the side stileto which said link is pivoted, said latch engaging said toggle to holdsame in pressure applying position, a rocker member pivoted intermediateits length to said latter side stile for rotation in either a clockwiseor a counter-clockwise direction and positioned to extend transverselyof said latch member, and adapted to engage said latch member onopposite sides of the pivot of said rocker member and between the pivotpoint of said latch member and its point of engagement with said toggleto operate said latch member to toggle-releasing position for eitherdirection of rotation of said rocker, and a pivotal release bar on eachside of said top bar engaging said rocker member in a loose connectionand swingable to rock said rocker member in either direction, saidrocker and latch members being of channel shape with one flange of saidrocker member adapted to engage the edges of the flanges of said latchmember.

6. In a wringer, a base having side stiles extending upwardly therefrom,rolls mounted in the side stiles, a longitudinal top bar, means carriedby the top bar exerting pressure on the rolls and a toggle for operatingthe top bar to and releasing the top bar from pressure exerting positioncomprising, a lever pivoted to one end of said top bar and a linkpivoted to the adjacent side stile and to the lever intermediate itslength by a pin extending transversely of the lever and link, said leverand link when swung to pressure applying position being urged to a topbar releasing position by said means canied by the top bar exertingpressure on the rolls; the combination with the base, side stiles,rolls, top bar, pressure means and toggle, of a pivotal latch memberextending outwardly from the side stile to which said link is pivoted ina direction lengthwise of the wringer, said latch engaging said toggleto hold same in pressure applying position, a rocker member pivotedintermediate its length to said latter side stile for rotation in eithera clockwise or a counterclockwise direction and positioned to extendtransversely of said latch member and adapted to engage said latchmember on opposite sides of the pivot of said rocker member to operatesaid latch member to toggle releasing position for either direction ofrotation of said rocker, and a pivotal release bar on each side of saidtop bar engaging said rocker member in a loose connection and swingableto rock said rocker member in either direction, said rocker member beingformed with slotted ends and said release bars being pivoted tosaid sidestiles and formed with crank ends engaging in said slotted rocker endsto form said loose connection.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which said release bars are sheetmetal formed to channel shape and said crank ends are rods mounted inthe ends of the release bar channels.

8. In a wringer, a base having side stiles extending upwardly therefrom,rolls mounted in the side stiles, a longitudinal top bar, means carriedby the top bar exerting pressure on the rolls and a toggle for operatingthe top bar to and releasing the top bar from pressure-exerting positioncomprising, a lever pivoted to one end of said top bar and a linkpivoted to the adjacent side stile and to the lever intermediate itslength by a pin extending transversely of the lever and link, said leverand link when swung to pressure-applying position being urged to a topbar releasing position by said means carried by the top bar exertingpressure on the rolls; the combination with the base, side stiles,rolls, top bar, pressure means and toggle, of a channel shaped latchmember having spaced side walls pivoted to the side stile to which saidlink is pivoted on an axis extending transversely of said last-mentionedside stile, said latch member extending outwardly of said lastmentionedside stile and engaging said toggle at the point of pivotal connectionof said link and lever to hold said link and lever in top barpressure-applying position with the pivots of said link and the pivot ofsaid latch defining a right angle, a rocker member pivoted intermediateits length to said latter side stile for rotation in either a clockwiseor a counter-clockwise direction and positioned to extend transverselyof said latch member, and adapted to engage the spaced walls of saidlatch member on opposite sides of the pivot of said rocker member andbetween the pivot point of said latch member and its point of engagementwith said toggle to operate said latch member to toggle-releasingposition for either direction of rotation of said rocker, and a pivotalrelease bar on each side of said top bar engaging said rocker member ina loose connection and swingable to rock said rocker member in eitherdirection.

9. A wringer as claimed in claim 8 in which said latch member is formedwith a hooked end engaging the pin pivotally connecting said togglelever and link to hold said toggle in pressure-applying position, thedisposition of the pivots of said link and said latch being such thatthe link and latch pivots to the side stile define with said pivot pinsaid right angle with said pin at the apex of said right angle andengaged by the hooked end of said latch member by a surface of the latchmember hook tangential to said pin at its point of contact with saidpin, eliminating locking and unlocking components from being applied tosaid latch member by said toggle.

10. A wringer as claimed in claim 9 in which the surface of said latchhook engaging said pin is curved, said curved surface comprising an arcof a circle with centre coinciding with the centre of the pivot of saidlatch member.

11. A wringer having a base, side stiles, a top bar mounted on thestiles, rolls mounted in theside stiles, means exerting pressure fromthe top bar to the rolls, and a toggle comprising a lever pivoted tosaid top bar and a link pivoted to one of said side stiles and to saidlever for drawing said top bar down to operative position from which thepressure means is adapted to exert pressure on the rolls; a pivotallatch member carried by one side stile engaging said toggle at the pointof pivotal connection of said link and lever with said toggle urged bysaid pressure means to release said top bar under pressure from saidrolls and with the pivots of said link and latch member defining exactlya right angle to eliminate any locking or unlocking components beingapplied to said latch by said toggle, a pivotal rocker member carried bysaid latter stile for rotation in a clockwise or counter-clockwisedirection and positioned to extend substantially parallel to the pivotof said latch member in position to engage said latch member at pointson opposite sides of the rocker pivot and between the pivot point ofsaid latch member and its point of engagement with said toggle tooperate said latch member for toggle release upon either direction ofrocker movement about its pivot, and release means operable at will torock said rocker member in either direction to effect toggle release.

(References on following page) 7 References Citedin the file of thispatent ED S ATES PA EN S Pomrmt July 6,. 22. Bt m S p .2, 9 16 5Gcldhqf. ly 9 Mincr V Jan- 27,, 1.942

8 Etten Sept. 22, 19,42 Kauifman Oct; 19, 1943 Fields Oct. 10; 1944Iantz- Sept. 3., 1946 OREIGN PATENTS n-r--. .-.a--a-.-.-.,.m

